Page 97 of Luck Be Mine
The moon glowed in vivid yellow and decorated the dark sky.Live by the sun. Love by the moon.The old saying popped into her head.
“Stars, Cait.”
Cait shifted her gaze. There was enough twinkle to enchant.
Hunt rolled so she was tucked with him at her back and flipped the empty side of the blanket over the top of them.
Cait snuggled close, holding his arms in place.
He tipped her face to his and kissed her again. “I keep having firsts with you.”
“May it be forever.”
His phone buzzed.
Cait clasped his hand in hers to hold the moment a second longer.
He answered his phone, and she let go.
She flipped back the blanket and moved away from him. Standing from the bed, she slipped her arms back into her straps, and went to the door of the family room. She turned to watch him. “Happy birthday to me.”
His eyes stayed on her, but his phone was balanced between his shoulder and ear while he straightened his own clothes.
Cait slipped into the family room and found a T-shirt over the arm of the beloved red sofa. Black, plain. Hunt’s. Tackling the dread yet thankful for the date, she dropped her dress and put on the shirt. She went back outside to gather the s’more supplies and the drink.
“I’ll be in.” He disconnected.
Cait pursed her lips, working to conquer tears, frustration and a bit of anger. “You have to go.” It wasn’t a question.
“At least we got dinner and a movie. Happy birthday.” The regret in his eyes chilled her anger.
Honesty. Build it. “It shreds me when you leave.”
“Me, too. Hardest thing about this, but it’s what I signed up for.”
“We’ve been at this for awhile. I get it. I’m suffering from conflicting emotions and not navigating very well.”
He took her mouth in a savage kiss and feeling the same angry wildness, she gave as good as she got.
Hunt pulled away, swearing. “I didn’t mean–” He dipped in again and gentled his lips. Tears flowed. She soothed him the only way she knew how, with her own soft lips and a tight hold.
“I love you,” Hunt whispered. “Please, don’t forget.”
“I won’t, and you don’t forget you’re my everything, okay?”
“Deal.”
“I have to go.”
“You should take a quick shower. You smell like…well, you know.”
He grinned and made a come-with-me motion with his finger. “Talk to me before I leave.”
She followed him to their bedroom, changed to her favorite yoga pants but kept Hunt’s shirt, and carefully laid out the red dress to take to the cleaners.
She sat in the bathroom amid the steam and talked to him.
She helped him pack to leave.
